Anyone got any ideas? Diva is getting worse

[Worried1]

In May Diva came in from the field with her eyes almost shut, we called the vet who thought it was a mild allergy and was probably related to tree pollen. It settled down and she was back to normal.

She then suffered another allergic reaction in July, she presented with scappby legs and face which were yellow and oozed a straw coloured liquid, her face became swollen and she was clearly very itchy.

The scabs were from the knee and hock down and were worse around the coronet and pastern.

We tried a variety of things including cling filming to soften the scabs, washing in acetic shampoo before trying antihistimines in massive doses which had no effect at all. She was also put on antibiotics.

She was beginning to self-mutilate in an attempt to scratch and was making herself bleed at which point we all felt we had no option but to administer steroids. She was very uncomfortable and grumpy - which is very out of character.

Henryhorn suggested aloe vera juice (thank you HH) so she was given this along with evening primose oil and zinc and vitamin C.

The vets then thought it could be harvest mites as she had been away overnight and stabled on straw.

We frontlined her and she made an impresive recovery and returned to normal. All scabs gone and face returned to normal

Initially we thought we had cracked it but about 10 days ago she started to become scabby and her nose started to swell again (no imairment of the breathing).

This time it is 100 times worse, her entire head is a scab, now the scabs extend all up her legs, undeer her teats between her armpits, chin etc, etc. The only area unaffected is her neck and body area.

She is still very itchy but this time round is coping better and is working well.

She went to the vets on Thursday where they took scrappings and biopsies to culture and we are now waiting for the results. She was put on a course of steroids and is back on antibiotics.

However she is worsening. The scabs are now spreading and are on her flanks and working upwards.

Nothing else on the yard has shown any signes of anything else, the yard dogs have been checked for mange, we have even pinned the cat down and checked him.

Nothing has altered - she remains on the same feed, we are using hay from our regular supplier. She is on the same bedding from the same supplier (which we have already changed once and disenfected her stable).

Does anyone have any ideas it is horrible watching her

 

[Bossanova]

We have a poor little tb that keeps blowing up and scabbing over.

It's worth asking the vets if you can do a double whammy on the antibs- norodine granules and pen-strep injections can be really effective given together.

 

[_jetset_]

Oh no, I am so sorry to read this!

It does sound as though it is something which is only appearing at certain times. I am thinking perhaps something in the ground (a certain grass etc) and perhaps being transmitted when turned out?

The reason I am thinking something on the ground is because is in her nose and head (from when she is eating) and on her legs...

I know you are trying steroids etc, but have you heard of Flower of Sulphur? I have used it on Grace now for about two years because she gets horrendous reaction to fly bites

Since being on this, she still comes up in lumps but they are 80% better than without it.

 

[Worried1]

Really Boss? Sounds very similar. Will talk to the vets tomorrow as she is norodine so could double it up with injections.

One thing they did say was it could be a deep seated infection.

I cannot put my finger on one thing that could trigger it.

 

[Worried1]

Thanks JS, I have heard of Flower of Sulphur do you double the dose or use normal doseage?

 

[_jetset_]

I give a 15ml scoop twice a day (so one in each feed).

However, when I first put her on it, I doubled that for the first few days to get it into her and she has been on it now since then

 

[Booboos]

Cultures should give you an answer so well worth waiting for and steroids should be able to deal with most allergies, so I think you are doing the best things anyway.

I once had a pony with sereve harvest mites that responded really well to Camrosa, but Diva's case sounds more extreme.

Hope you get to the bottom of it soon!!

 

[Halfstep]

I don't want to sound alarmist, but I did wonder if it is a basic allergy. Could it be an allergy-triggered auto-immune disorder like Purpura? I ask because we had a foal at my yard that had a similar type skin and swelling presentation to Diva which did not respond to any type of normal medication. She turned out to have purpura haemorrhagica, but made a complete recovery after a heavy duty course of serious steroids. Just a thought.

Fingers crossed for Diva!

 

[shazza283]

how long since you used the frontline?

Chorioptic mange mite is usually referred to as "leg mite" but I've seen a couple with lesions as you are describing -some horses just seem very susceptible - could be that you got rid of adults, but not eggs and these have now hatched, multiplied and are causing problems again (usually within 7 -21 days) - or she could have been re-infected from original source??? May be that you have a "sympomless carrier" on the yard ? They are little buggers and can just keep coming back.

Maybe try frontline or another ectoparasiticide again- it worked before??

 

[mtj]

Frontline only lasts for a month or so, it may need to be reapplied.

Have a total of 7 pets (2 horse, 2 dog, 3 cat) in household. All have access to same out door area. 1 horse, 1 dog and 2 cats need treating for harvest mites with frontline, the others seem little affected. My horse usually shows the first signs in late June.

The most serious is the elderly cat who has ended up with skin infections from harvest mites in the past and needed several months on antibiotics to clear the infection. The first year this was misdiagnosed as a reaction to a flea bite. Last year, different vet assured us it was harvest mites so we were prepared this year. As well as usual spot-on, the cat was subjected to OH restraining him (wearing gauntlets), whilst I let rip with the frontline spray. Its worked a treat. Er, yes the cat did complain.

Whilst the horse (warmblood) has not swollen, he does get scabs up to knees/hocks and all over his face. he has looked extremely moth eaten in the past. I'm a bit dubious about trying pig oil as he is sensitive. Current strategy involves frontline, ivermectin wormer, dermoline insecticidal shampoo and dog flea collars.
put one collar around each pastern.

There is an anti harvest mite injection available, but it is not licenced for horses. Vets do administer it for horses though. I have heard mixed reports. I know of one case where it has worked, another where it didn't. I understand it does have a high complication rate - including fatal - hence I don't currently plan to use this.

Lastly, there is a new topical solution being used locally as an alternative to frontline. Your vets may be aware of it. Its a mix of ivomec, glycol and warm water. Its applied every two weeks. I'm planning the ask my vets to supply the ivomec to me for next summer.

sorry to have gone on a bit - hope there might be something useful here

 

[Doublethyme]

My mare used to get this late August/Sept every year - not quite as bad as your mare, but still same kind of symptoms. It was something in the field, because when she was moved to the next field along, she was fine and has remained so every since (now at a different yard). The only difference in the fields, was that the one where she got the reaction/bites was bordered on one side by trees and stinging nettles etc and she would rummage around in them, so I can only think it was that.

The same mare also had a severe reaction to I think her bedding last year (completely covered in welts/swollen oozing knees) which two sterioid injections over a week didn't fix. As a last ditch attempt before going down the allergy testing route (it was over Christmas so not the ideal time for that!) and after changing everything in her routine (rugs/feed/bedding/field/even stable), I rang Global Herbs who recommended a course of their Immuplus and also their Restore. Within 48 hours the mare was virtually lump free and within a week completely back to normal and has remained so ever since.

May be worth a shot if nothing else works.